


Time after Time

by Lyatt1941



Category: Timeless (TV 2016)
Genre: F/M, Family Feels, Light Angst
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-18
Updated: 2019-04-23
Packaged: 2020-01-15 23:48:22
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 9,797
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18509578
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lyatt1941/pseuds/Lyatt1941
Summary: It's 2023 and Lucy needs to travel back to 2014 to hand off her journal so that the happy life she has built with Wyatt doesn't disappear.  Wyatt and Lucy put on a brave face and try to make the day a special one for their daughters.This fic is for April's Lyattweek.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> It's already past the middle of April and I realized I had not started on this fic...and as it is Easter weekend (and my daughter's birthday) I will be releasing this in short installments so that I can at least meet the deadline with this first chapter. This fic will not be long at all...it's mostly just filling in a bit of the gaps from those last few moments in the movie. 
> 
> Happy Reading!

The sun shone brightly, even though the day was far from warm.  Winter in San Francisco, California was not as cold as it could be in other areas of the country, but today was definitely a  day to bundle up.  A steady breeze had picked up overnight, causing the wind to howl as it tunneled its way down their tree-lined street.  It was not the chill in the air, nor the ominous sound of a howling wind that had Lucy shivering this morning, however.

 

Today was a day she had been simultaneously dreading and looking forward to for five long years.  It was a risky venture, one that she wouldn't normally be willing to undertake...but if she didn't do it...well, she didn't want to think about what could happen. 

 

Pairing her favorite dress with her brown leather boots, Lucy examined herself in her floor-length mirror one more time, nervous hands smoothing out the small wrinkles in her skirt, before she set off for the twins’ bedroom.  Flynn, of course, had already picked out her burgundy overalls.  Lucy smiled at her as she held them out with one hand while rubbing the sleep out of her eye with the other.  Out of both girls, Flynn might have been the most active, but she was the one who had the hardest time getting started in the morning.  Amy, by contrast, was sitting by the window happily reading a book, her pink cowboy boots sticking out under her nightgown. 

 

Helping them both change, Lucy made sure each of the girls had an extra sweater, before sending them downstairs to breakfast.  Promising them she would be down in a few minutes, began packing a small overnight bag for each of them.  She dug through their drawers, remembering how chilly the bunker could be, searching for their flannel PJs.  It would be their first night away from home and as Lucy’s eyes scanned their room for something that could offer them a small amount of comfort, she found that she was having a hard time breathing.  Her knees wobbled as she sank down on one of the twin beds, gazing upon a room filled with happy memories. 

 

Their first night at home with the twins, the chair where she or Wyatt would rock them to sleep, their favorite bedtime stories, birthday gifts and countless pieces of artwork…all of this could disappear if she didn’t get in that time machine one last time…

 

“Breakfast is ready.” came Wyatt’s voice from the doorway, “The girls are devouring their pancakes as we speak.”  Wyatt paused, observing her for a few seconds before adding tentatively, “You okay?”

 

Lucy nodded as she stood on quaking legs and quickly stuffed a few books and stuffed animals into their bags.  “Yeah…yeah, I’m…I’m fine.” she stammered out breathlessly. 

 

Wyatt, knowing Lucy too well by now to be fooled by her brave face, was at her side in the next moment, taking her hands in his.  “Lucy, you don’t have to do this.” he nodded, “I can go.”

 

Lucy shook her head, “No….it has to be me.” she gasped out as a few tears escaped, “It’s my journal and I have to give it to him.” She took a steadying breath, refusing to look into Wyatt’s eyes as she quickly added, “If anything happens to me…you know…if….”

 

“Don’t even say it, Lucy.” Wyatt said firmly as he wrapped her up in his arms and held her close. 

 

“Wyatt, we have to think of the very real possibility that…”

 

“Then I’m going with you.” Wyatt gritted out.

 

“Wyatt, no…the girls.” Lucy pleaded.  “They need you.”

 

“Pretty sure they need you too, ma’am.” Wyatt breathed out as he pulled away from her slightly and placed a gentle hand on her chin.  “My job is to protect you…and I’ll be damned if I’m going to stand by and watch you leave in that time machine without me.” 

 

Lucy frowned at him, “But what if…”

 

“It won’t.” Wyatt said with a reassuring nod.  “We get in, we drop off that damn journal, and we get out.”  He nodded firmly, “Agent Christopher already said she would watch the girls at the bunker…even if I’m not there.”  

 

“But Wyatt,” Lucy pleaded, “we talked about this…they’ll be scared without one of us there…and what if this trip…” she blinked back tears as she gripped onto his arms, “what if what happened to Flynn…”

 

“Flynn chose to stay in 2012, Lucy.  He was there for a hell of a lot longer than a few minutes.” Wyatt reminded her.  “He chose to do that…for his family.”  Wyatt nodded his head thoughtfully, “I’d do the same thing for mine.”  Lucy looked up at him with tear-filled eyes, so grateful that she had listened to her heart on that cold, desperate night in North Korea.  He had _wanted_ to choose her, he told her then, and every day for the past five years he had proven to her time and time again that really, he had.  “Let me go with you…please, Lucy.  If something happened to you, I’d never be able to forgive myself.”

 

Knowing how much guilt Wyatt bore in the years after Jessica’s death, Lucy was certain that he was not exaggerating.  She couldn’t bear to think of him going through that kind of pain again...particularly because of her.  Relenting with a sigh, she nodded as she took in the twins’ room once more, “Okay” she gasped out, “okay…we’ll do it together.”

 

He pressed another kiss to her head as he murmured, “Come on, you need some breakfast, we have a big day ahead of us.”

 

Lucy made her way downstairs with Wyatt, the cacophony of squealing giggles and clattering silverware reaching her ears before she even made it into the kitchen.  The sight that met her eyes when she finally did cross over that threshold was one that was all too familiar and heart stirring.  Flynn and Amy were sitting next to each other, pulling funny faces and giggling uncontrollably as the sun spilled in through the large picture window behind them.  It was a picture-perfect moment of the life they had built together and she couldn’t help but reach out and grasp Wyatt’s hand as the thought of losing them…losing this…hit her full force.

 

The moment they saw their parents enter the room, Amy and Flynn’s faces lit up with absolute joy.  Both of them chatting at once, they left the table to regale their parents with whatever funny anecdote the other had done while waiting for their parents to join them at the table. 

 

“Flynn thought the butter was cheese!” giggled Amy. 

 

“I did not!” Flynn protested, “I said it came from cows like cheese!  And then you blew milk out of your nose.” Flynn giggled with a shriek.  “That was so funny!”

 

“Because I was thinking of that joke Uncle Rufus told us!” Amy squealed. 

 

“What joke Uncle Rufus told you?” asked Wyatt as he crouched down in front of them and began wiping the syrup from their faces and hands.  Lucy shook her head and smiled to herself.  Almost since the twins could laugh, Wyatt and Rufus had been engaged in a friendly competition, each one attempting to out-funny the other one with all sorts of jokes and pranks...anything to make the girls double over into hysterics.   

 

Giggling again, Amy looked at Wyatt impishly and said, “What do you call a cow in an earthquake?”

 

Wyatt looked up at Lucy, his face full amusement, both of them attempting to look completely surprised by the answer Flynn readily supplied, “A milkshake!”  Both girls screamed into another fit of giggles and Wyatt and Lucy couldn’t help but laugh too. 

 

“That’s pretty funny.” Wyatt said with a nod as he helped the girls back into their seats.  “But I’ve got a funnier one.” The girls both leaned forward in anxious expectation as Wyatt smirked at them, “What happens when a cow falls down?”

 

The girls looked at each other and then at Lucy, “Mommy, do you know?”

 

Lucy shook her head in mock bewilderment, smiling at Wyatt as he leaned forward and deadpanned, “It cowlapses.”

 

Lucy pursed her lips together as the girls looked blankly at Wyatt, confusion and disappointment evident in both of their faces as they turned their attention back to their pancakes. “That wasn’t as funny as Uncle Rufus’” Flynn observed. 

 

“No, it wasn’t, daddy.” Amy agreed. 

 

Wyatt poured himself some orange juice and winked at Lucy, “Tough crowd.”

 

“I thought it was funny.” she consoled as she buttered a piece of toast. 

 

"I'll just have to think of really good one for later." Wyatt said with playful determination. 

 

Setting down her knife, Lucy looked across the table at her little family....hoping that they would have a later.  After seeing that hardened version of herself swinging out of the LifeBoat, she never thought this could be her future…that she and Wyatt would actually find peace and happiness after all the hell that Rittenhouse had put them through.  It broke Lucy’s heart to think that this…all of this could be gone forever if things didn’t go exactly as they had planned. 

 

Unable to shake off the feeling of foreboding, Lucy rushed to the other side of the table and wrapped both of her daughters in a hug, kissing their heads desperately as she sought to keep her tears at bay.  Wyatt swallowed hard as he witnessed the scene before him, unable to keep his own emotions from showing as he too made his way over and embraced his family. 

 

Always the astute one, Amy pulled away from Lucy and studied her face, “What’s wrong, mommy?” she asked innocently. 

 

Lucy braved a smile and shook her head, “Nothing sweetheart, mommy’s just...” overwhelmed with emotion, she tried explain away her red rimmed eyes, but her words got stuck somewhere in the confines of her throat. 

 

Wyatt, however, was there for the handoff, “Mommy’s just got a big meeting today.  She’s a little nervous about it, that’s all.”  He smiled down at Amy and ruffled her hair as Flynn wrapped her arms around his leg and gave him a hug.

 

“Oh yeah!” Flynn cried out knowingly.  “your tender meeting!”

 

Lucy looked from Flynn to Wyatt with alarm, “I completely forg…” she straightened suddenly and began pacing, “Maybe I should just cancel the tenure meeting for today…it’s just not…it’s not a good day.”

 

“No Lucy, it’ll be fine.  You need this.”  Wyatt maintained.  “You’ve been waiting for this for so long…and it’ll be a nice distraction from…everything else.” Wyatt added, but as he looked down at the confused looks on the girls’ faces, he cleared his throat and tried to cover the real source of her worry, “See, mommy’s a little nervous.” 

 

“Maybe daddy could go and hold your hand,” Amy offered sweetly to Lucy, “like he did for me that time when I had to do that show and tell at school.” 

 

Wyatt nodded as he met Lucy’s tear-filled eyes, “That is exactly what daddy’s planning to do.”

  


	2. Chapter 2

Despite Wyatt’s assurances that Lucy treat this as any other day, she couldn’t help but feel that spending time with Flynn and Amy was more important than teaching a few college courses. 

“Lucy, I may not be some high and mighty academic, “ Wyatt argued, “but if you have a tenure meeting today, it’s probably best if you don’t cancel your classes.”

 

“I told you, I can just reschedule…call in sick.”  She looked at him with pleading eyes, “It’s not technically a lie…I do feel nauseous.”

 

“And if you stay home,” Wyatt asked her gently, “what will you do?”

 

Lucy frowned.  It was eight hours until they were scheduled to be back at the bunker.  Eight hours for her to think over all the things that might go wrong.  Eight hours to remember that the first time she stepped foot in the time machine she lost her sister, Amy’s namesake.  Eight hours to wonder what Flynn’s final hours were like when he traveled back to his own timeline…

 

She looked up at Wyatt, looking even more green than she did earlier, “You’re right…I could use the distraction.”

 

Offering to drive her to class so they could spend as much time together as a family as they possibly could, Wyatt smirked as Lucy continually turned back in her seat to look at her daughters, finally teasing her at the next stop light, “You’re reminding me of the day we brought them home from the hospital.” He chuckled softly as he kissed her hand, “It’s gonna be fine, Lucy…you’ll see.”

 

She nodded at him, taking a steeling breath as he pulled up in front of her building, “You promise you’ll bring them straight here the minute I get out of class?”

 

“Yes, Lucy.” Wyatt sighed.  “I promise…I just have a few things to take care of at the office, the girls’ daycare knows I’m picking them up early today…I’ve got their bags already in the trunk...”

 

“Okay” she nodded nervously as she pressed another kiss to his lips. 

 

“Good luck today.” he called after her as she kissed both girls goodbye.

 

She stared back at him blankly before remembering, “Right…tenure meeting.  Thanks, sweetheart.”       

 

“Anytime, babydoll.” Wyatt muttered as he watched her race across the street and up the stairs to her building. 

 

_****Six hours later****_

 

“Why aren’t we going back to the house, daddy?” Flynn asked as Wyatt parallel parked their SUV on the side of the street.   

 

“I thought we’d have a fun afternoon at the park while we’re waiting for mommy to get out of her class.” Wyatt suggested.  He turned in his seat to look back at his two girls, strapped in their car seats.  He couldn’t help but smile at the striking resemblance they had to Lucy and as he helped them each out of their safety harness he marveled at how far they had come since that first trip in the time machine. 

 

_Are all of these seatbelts really necessary?_

_You okay?_

_Well, I’m wildly claustrophobic and I’m about to travel through time…have…have you been drinking?_

_Didn’t know I was going to be working tonight, ma’am._

_Stop calling me, ma’am._

 

He would have never believed at the time that he would fall head over heels for the high-strung professor he had taken so much delight in riling on that first mission.  She was everything he was not; well-bred, well-educated, overly-anxious, and a stickler for the rules…add in her views on fate and destiny…and well, Wyatt was positive that teaming up with her was going to be the worst part of these missions. 

 

Then something happened.  He wasn’t sure when the attraction began, when it started…but looking back now, he could see that he had, almost from the first moment they met, had a soft spot for Lucy Preston.  Finding out her sister had disappeared, he felt an immediate tug of sympathy for her.  Seeing her cry in the Lifeboat after that second mission…it had nearly broken his heart…he may have tried to deny it then…but now, after being happily married for five years, he had to admit that Lucy had wormed her way into his heart long before he even knew she was there.   

 

Taking Flynn and Amy by the hand, Wyatt walked them across the street to the park just outside of Lucy’s building.  It was a favorite little haunt of theirs, usually reserved for special occasions when he had the day off; they would come here with a lunch and Lucy would join them in between classes.  Today, was of course, different.  It was not lunch, it was late afternoon and though the outcome of Lucy’s tenure meeting was something Wyatt was anxiously anticipating, spending quality time with his daughters at a place which held so many happy memories for them was the primary reason for this particular visit…seeing as it could very well be the last one. 

 

Trying hard not to think too much on that, Wyatt turned to the girls the moment they were safely across the street and asked, “Alright troops, what’ll it be?  Cops and Robbers?  Tag? Boot Camp?” 

 

“Boot camp!” the girls cried in unison as Wyatt smiled to himself.  Calling them to attention, the girls stood side by side, little hands framing their face in a salute as Wyatt began his inspection...noting with a smile to Amy that “pink cowboy boots are completely within regulation…ma’am.”  Inspection completed, Wyatt marched the girls up and down the perimeter of the park, ordering them to crab walk here, bear crawl there, skip and even twirl like a ballerina.  As the time for the end of Lucy’s class drew near, Wyatt cried out “Mutiny!” and the girls, faces flushed with excitement and exercise, squealed in delight.  Charging at Wyatt, they both chased him as he sought to dodge their little hands until finally they gripped onto his legs and tackled him to the ground.  “Oh no!  Back to basic training for me!” he cried as he lay sprawled on the ground.

 

Lucy came upon the scene, laughing to herself as she watched them play.  As Wyatt sat up and spied her, he smiled and pointed her out to Flynn and Amy who quickly raced to hug her, “Hello!” she exclaimed as she wrapped them both up in a hug, “What are you torturing daddy with this time?”  As the girls delighted Lucy with tales of their boot camp session, she laughed, “Well, I hope you didn’t go too easy on him.” She greeted Wyatt with a kiss and sent the girls off to play. 

 

As the girls raced away, Wyatt tentatively asked, “So…how was your day?”

 

Unable to contain her excitement any longer, Lucy nearly squealed as she admitted, “I got tenure!”

 

Lifting her off the ground, Wyatt swung her around, beyond happy that Lucy…the one who had lost so much…was finally getting everything she wanted and deserved.  “I am so proud of you.”  he murmured as he pressed another kiss to her lips.   

 

“Thank you” she whispered…and in that thank you she meant more than just being a supportive husband and father.  He was the one who had encouraged her to take that professorship at the university.  It wasn’t Stanford, that was one good thing…but after everything they had been through, she wasn’t sure if she could go back to teaching…knowing everything she know knew…how much had history changed?  Yet Wyatt had given her the push she needed…just as he had that morning.  She was ready to cancel her entire day, put her life on hold again because of time travel and Wyatt refused to let her do it. 

 

 He was truly her source of strength.   

 

Wyatt held Lucy in his arms as they watched their daughters play together.  He wanted to freeze this moment and hang onto it forever.  The moment when their life together was about as close to perfect as it had ever been; one loving marriage, two beautiful daughters, Lucy finally getting tenure after years of waiting, and Wyatt…decorated military service under his belt, a comfortable position with Homeland Security, and a family.  He was loved like he had never known in the years before he met Lucy…and while he knew that time travel had flipped both of their worlds upside down and caused them both a tremendous amount of heart ache…it had also given him this…and he wouldn’t change it for the world. 

 

Which is why, even though he wished he could live in this moment forever, he knew that they had to go. 

 

“Flynn!  Amy!” he called, “Are you ready for our special adventure?”

 

As the girls rushed to their parents’ side, Wyatt gripped Lucy tightly around the waist as they made their way to the car, feeling like every step was a step either towards a preservation or destruction of their current reality.  “How about you…are you ready for this?” he asked grimly.

 

Lucy exchanged a dark look with Wyatt and he knew her thoughts weren’t too far from his own.   She nodded tersely, a look of determination on her face as she replied, “Ready as I’ll ever be.”

 


	3. Chapter 3

They made the long drive up to the bunker location, marveling as they finally reached the place, how at once familiar and unfamiliar it seemed.  The girls, obviously confused at where their parents had taken them for a “special adventure” pelted Wyatt and Lucy with questions as they turned up the dirt road that led to the bunker. 

 

When they finally stopped, seemingly in the middle of nowhere, Flynn peered out of her window, at once disappointed and confused as to why their parents would whisk them away to such an out of the way place, “Where are we?” she asked, a hint of annoyance in her voice.

 

“This is where mommy and daddy used to live before you were born.” Lucy explained as Wyatt unbuckled the girls and lifted them out of the SUV.  A cloud of dust hung in the air from their drive and the girls coughed and sputtered as they looked around at the barren wilderness around them. 

 

“Where?” Amy asked innocently.  “Did your house fall down?  Did it get carried away like Dorothy’s house in _The Wizard of Oz_?” 

 

“No, nothing like that.” Wyatt said with a smile as he pointed out the door built into the side of a large hill.  “It’s a protected house…nobody knows it’s even there…except a few people.”

 

“How did your friends find you to come over and play?” Flynn asked as she gripped Lucy’s hand and began walking towards the door.

 

“Well, sweetheart…we couldn’t have friends over.” Lucy explained.  “We were on a very special assignment and we were…hiding.”

 

“But…Uncle Rufus and Aunt Jiya lived with us.” Wyatt added quickly.  “And so did Mr. Mason.”

 

“You lived with Uncle Rufus and Aunt Jiya?” Amy asked excitedly.    

 

“We sure did.” Wyatt grunted as he wrenched open the metal door.  A flood of memories came rushing back as they stood at the threshold of the place that had once been their base, their safe haven…and their prison.  The air was ripe with the stench of mildew and stagnation and Lucy couldn’t help but laugh at the way the girls crinkled up their noses as Wyatt announced, “Home Sweet Home!”   

 

Flynn giggled, “This isn’t a house!”

 

“You’re right.  It’s a secret bunker.  There’s a whole house under the ground.” Lucy explained, “Can you believe there are bedrooms and a kitchen…and a…room with a shower.” she added with some hesitation, unable to designate the term bathroom to that dingy, rust bucket of a room. 

 

“So, you lived underground?” Amy asked, her small voice echoing off the metal entrance chamber walls. 

 

“Yep.” Wyatt remarked as helped his daughters down the steep metal staircase.  “This place was built a long time ago by the Army, to keep soldiers safe.”

 

“What did you need to be kept safe from?” Amy asked innocently.

 

Lucy and Wyatt exchanged looks.  They had not told the girls about Rittenhouse…and for good reason.  Lucy had been hailed as the last of a “noble line” stemming from David Rittenhouse himself.  With the birth of her daughters, that legacy was now passed on to them and it terrified her to no end.  She and Wyatt both knew that while obtaining the Mothership had been a devastating blow to that elitist organization, they were far from eradicated; some of its members had escaped jail time, after all…which meant they were still out there…somewhere…lurking in the shadows...looking to rebuild and regain a foothold. 

 

_It still belongs to you, all you have to do is take it._

 

Her mother’s dying words seemed to echo through the darkened corridor as she stood there gripping Flynn and Amy’s hands.  The memories of Rittenhouse’s deception, the lengths they had taken to break her, the cruelty with which they infiltrated not only their team…but this very bunker, suddenly came rushing back – cutting her to her very soul – in a way that took her completely by surprise. 

 

Hardly able to contain her emotion, Lucy looked to Wyatt for reassurance and support, but noticed with astonishment that he seemed to be struggling more than she was.  His face was wrenched in agony as they stood before the ventilation fan, clearly affected by painful memories if not as much, then more than she was.

 

Crouching down, Lucy pulled Flynn and Amy close and explained, “There were some very bad people who were doing some very bad things…and well, we…your mommy, daddy, Rufus, Jiya…and even a man named Garcia Flynn all came here to be safe so we could plan to fight them.”

 

“A man named Garcia Flynn?  Flynn is my name!”

 

“Yes, it is.” Lucy said with a nod.  “He was very brave…and he saved a lot of lives.  So, when you were born, we thought it would be nice to remember him.”

 

“What did he do?” Flynn asked and Lucy’s eyes immediately darted to Wyatt.  How on Earth could they explain just exactly what Flynn had done?  How could she tell the girls about Jessica?

 

As if reading her thoughts, Wyatt frowned seriously before muttering quietly, “He took responsibility for a mistake I made.”  His eyes fell on both of his daughters as he admitted softly, “I wasn’t a very good soldier…I let the enemy come in here…and I almost lost your mommy and Uncle Rufus forever.” He heaved a shuddering breath as he continued, “I always thought Flynn had ruined my life…but he actually saved it.”

 

“You let the enemy in your secret bunker?” Flynn asked in bewilderment, “They must have been really sneaky to get past you, daddy.”

 

Wyatt nodded, his face etched in remorse and regret, “Yeah…they were pretty sneaky.”

 

Amy hugged Wyatt around the leg, “I bet you were really sorry you made a mistake, right daddy?”

 

He ruffled Amy’s hair lovingly as he sighed, “Yeah…I was really sorry.”

 

“Were Uncle Rufus and mommy mad at you?” Flynn asked. 

 

“No, sweetheart.” Lucy quickly interjected, casting a supportive glance towards Wyatt.  “Mommy understood why daddy did it.” she said with a nod, “They tricked all of us.”

 

Amy looked around the bunker nervously, “So...are the bad people trying to trick you again?  Are we moving here to stay safe from them?” 

       

Lucy made to correct her, but Wyatt, clearly struggling with some stirring emotions, answered, “No…daddy would never…we’re just making sure they don’t ever hurt anybody again.  And to do that…your mommy and I have to go visit an old friend.” 

 

“And your friend will make sure the bad people don’t come back?” Flynn asked with concern.

 

Lucy swallowed hard as she smoothed Flynn and Amy’s hair, “I hope so.”  Blinking away tears, Lucy stood up and turned away from her daughters, not wanting them to see her cry and ask even more difficult questions.  Wyatt immediately reached over and squeezed Lucy’s arm, offering what comfort and reassurance he could without alerting the girls to the fears with which they were both struggling.  Lucy shook her head apologetically and cast Wyatt a sheepish glance, feeling every bit as nervous as she had on that first mission to the Hindenburg.  “Sorry” she mouthed to him as she inwardly berated herself for being so weak.

 

Wyatt shook his head, before pressing a quick kiss to her cheek, “You don’t have anything to apologize for.” he whispered in her ear.  Pointing towards the old bathroom, Wyatt muttered, “Why don’t you go take a minute?  I’ll take care of the girls.”    

 

Lucy nodded appreciatively and stalked away quickly, wringing her hands in nervous agitation as she did so…something that was not lost on the observant Amy.  “Why is mommy so scared, daddy?”

 

Wyatt shook his head, “She’s just a little nervous, that’s all.” he said with a sigh.

 

“But she got her tender…” Flynn argued.  

 

“Maybe mommy is scared of this bunker.” Amy observed as she pointed towards the large fan in the wall, “there are lots of spiders down here.”

 

As they stood before the large ventilation turbine, he crouched down in front of the girls and whispered clandestinely, “I’m going to tell you a secret.” He smirked at his daughters as they leaned in, hanging on his every word.  “Your mommy is the bravest person I know…do you know she saved my life?”

 

“She saved your life?” Amy asked in astonishment, “How?”

 

“Lots of ways.” Wyatt admitted with a nod. “One time, she rushed out in the middle of a very large and dangerous battle and got me to safety.”  At the girls oohs and ahhs, Wyatt continued, “Another time, she found me and Uncle Rufus trapped in a dungeon.”

 

“Were you in a castle?” Amy asked with a gasp.

 

“Well…some people called it that.” Wyatt admitted with a dry chuckle  “But the most important time she saved my life, was the last time we were in this bunker.”  He placed a loving hand on each of the twins’ cheeks and nodded at them, “Your mommy is very brave…and very strong…stronger even than daddy is…and what she did that day took a lot of courage.”

 

“What did she do?” Flynn asked, her eyes wide with wonder.   

 

“I told him I would marry him.” Lucy breathed out as fresh tears spilled onto her cheeks; a flood of happy tears as she met Wyatt’s eyes, the gratitude that she had felt for him, reflected ten-fold back at her as he held their daughters close.

 

Wyatt stood up and pulled her into a warm embrace, kissing her cheek again as he muttered quietly in her ear, “There isn’t a day that goes by that I don’t thank God for that.  You’re one hell of a woman, Lucy Preston…don’t you ever forget it.”

 

She knew that Wyatt would forever feel guilty about those few months that he had spent with Jessica.  Now, coming back to this bunker, being faced with the memories that still haunted him, she understood that he was not only trying to assure her of his continued devotion, but to remind her that he would be forever grateful for the chance she had given him to make up for what he had done.  “You know,” Lucy murmured with an appreciative smile on her face, “I think you saved my life that day too.” she nodded at the girls who had taken to examining a spider’s web, “It takes two to tango, Wyatt Logan…we wouldn’t be here without you.”

 

After kissing Lucy soundly on the lips, Wyatt urged the twins forward, “Alright troops, listen up.” he said in a playful military voice.  “Tonight, you have an important mission ahead of you…that is, if you think you are brave enough to accept it.”

 

Standing at attention, the girls saluted Wyatt as Agent Christopher made her way through the door, “Ah! I see my new recruits have arrived!” she observed with a wide smile as the girls excitedly waved to her.  As Wyatt cleared his throat, the girls quickly resumed their salute, giggling at themselves for “falling out of line.”  As Agent Christopher stood next to Wyatt, they both cast a scrutinizing gaze at the twins before Agent Christopher finally nodded at Wyatt in satisfaction, “At ease, ladies.” she remarked.

 

Quickly following her orders, Flynn and Amy’s hands fell down to their sides as Agent Christopher crouched in front of them and wrapped them up in a warm hug.  “How would you girls like to join my team for the night?” Agent Christopher asked them in a whisper.     

 

“Are we playing soldier?” Flynn asked excitedly.

 

“Yes.” Wyatt agreed.  ‘We’re playing soldier.  You know mommy and daddy have their mission, but you two will have a mission of your very own.” he said. 

 

“Why can’t we go with you and mommy on _your_ mission?  What can’t we meet your friend?” Amy asked sweetly.  “We make good soldiers.”

 

“Yeah,” Flynn agreed. “We beat you at boot camp all the time, daddy.”

 

Wyatt nodded, “I know you do, which is why you have to keep our base camp safe from enemy troops.  It’s a very important mission…and Agent Christopher here didn’t think you could handle it,” he said with a wink towards the Homeland Security officer, “But I told her you were the best recruits I had ever seen and no army in the world stood a chance against you.  So what do you say?  You think you can hold down the fort?”

.  

Looking up at the ceiling thoughtfully, Amy scrunched up her face before stating tentatively, “I think so…”

 

“I know so.” said Flynn with a look of determination on her face.  “We won’t let anybody trick us…we just won’t let anybody in.  They’ll have to have a password.”

 

“That sounds like very good plan.” Lucy said with a nod.  Smirking at Agent Christopher and Wyatt she added, “I think you are definitely the right women for the job.”

 

“You think so?.” Agent Christopher said with a doubtful smirk, “Well,” she crouched down in front of the girls and assessed them seriously, “I know you are very good at boot camp, but being on a mission…well, that is a whole different ball of yarn.  Tell me…how good are you at eating ice cream?” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Two updates in one day!? I know...crazy. I just wanted to get this out of the way as soon as possible so that I can focus on my other fics. I have another update left on this one and then it will be finished. Thanks for reading!


	4. Chapter 4

If the ghosts of years past still inhabited the bunker, they were dutifully exorcised by the laughter of Flynn and Amy as they excitedly explored their newfound playground.  As their giggles and shrieks bounced off the rusty walls, walls that had borne witness to untold amounts of heartache, the entire space was transformed from the dismal, gloomy hideaway it once was, to something far more pleasant.  With each game of hide and seek, red light/green light and freeze tag, Amy and Flynn breathed a new life into every corner, every nook and cranny, until the whole atmosphere in that dank hole in the ground was bursting with an energy and exuberance that it had never known. 

 

“Girls!” Wyatt called, “Go wash up for dinner, your mom is making sandwiches!”

 

Lucy and Agent Christopher stood together in the kitchen, an open ice chest lay open on the table as Lucy pulled of slices of bread, “I can’t thank you enough for doing this.” Lucy whispered to the Homeland Security officer.  “The girls trust you…and I just…I just need to see them as soon as we get off that LifeBoat so I know they’re…still here.”

 

“No explanation is necessary, Lucy.” Agent Christopher assured as she pulled out a few slices of bread on her own and helped her prepare the sandwiches.  “I know how it feels to fear that your family will disappear…and you…with your sister…I can’t even imagine how hard this must be for you.”

 

“It is and it isn’t.” Lucy admitted as she reached for the mustard, “The only thing that would induce me to leave them is to save them…to save this.”  Lucy sighed, “You’ll make sure they won’t see us disappear, right?”

 

“Of course.” Agent Christopher said with a smile, “Don’t worry about a thing, Lucy.  I love those girls like they were my own grandchildren…I want to protect them just as much as you do.” 

 

“I know.” Lucy said apologetically, “I’m sorry, I’m just…a little flustered by everything. 

 

“That’s perfectly understandable.” Agent Christopher said with a nod as she watched Lucy shaking the mustard haphazardly over the sandwich she had made.  Reaching out, she gently took the bottle from her, “Why don’t you go help the girls wash up…I can finish this here.”

 

“Are you sure?” Lucy asked hesitantly. 

 

“Absolutely.” she assured her, “Besides,” she added with a wry smile, “I’m running low on mustard.”

 

As Lucy made her way down the corridor she could hear the girls happily giggling in the bunker bathroom, the door of which was propped open by the trusty chair that offered them the only privacy they had while living in there.  As he stepped into the tiled room, she had to stifle her laugh as she watched Wyatt trying to wrangle them over to the one working sink in an effort to wash their hands and faces.  Noticing Lucy, Wyatt wandered over to her, looking beyond relieved that reinforcements had come, “I forgot how much I hated this bathroom.” Wyatt muttered with a chuckle as he dried his own hands with a towel.  “That water is colder than I remember.”

   

“Getting soft, soldier?”  Lucy said with a teasing smile, “Your sandwich is ready.  I’ll get these two firecrackers rounded up and ready to go.”

 

Wyatt offered her a tiny salute and headed out of the doorway calling back, “They’re all yours ma’am.”

 

Laughing lightly, Lucy made her way over to Amy and Flynn who were squealing with delight, splashing each other with the cold water.  “Okay you two.’ Lucy said with her arms folded firmly across her chest, “what’s going on in here?”

 

“Uh-oh…mommy’s here.” Flynn said as she nudged Amy in the ribs.  Both girls quickly turned serious, switching gears mid-splash from horse play to cleaning up. 

 

“We’re just washing our hands.” Amy assured her as she pumped a liberal amount of soap onto her fingers. 

 

“I can see that.” Lucy said with raised eyebrows as she made her way over to the girls to help them scrub their hands clean.  “Looks like you were trying to wash up the whole bathroom too.”

 

“Well it is kind of dirty.” Flynn observed.  “It could use a good cleaning.”

 

“Yeah.” Amy agreed, “”It’s definitely not up to relegation.”

 

“Regulation.” Lucy corrected, biting back a laugh at how the girls constantly mimicked Wyatt’s military jargon.  “This is about as clean as this bathroom will ever get…believe me.” Lucy maintained.  “There’s not enough bleach in the world to make this place sparkle.”

 

Once satisfied that their hands and faces were thoroughly washed, Lucy led the girls out to the common room table where sandwiches and juice boxes awaited them.  Wyatt offered Lucy one of her own but she refused it, “I’m not hungry…not right now, anyway.”  At his concerned look she promised, “I’ll eat when we get back and everything is how it’s supposed to be…I just can’t right now.” 

 

Nodding in understanding, Wyatt assisted Agent Christopher in dishing out a small scoop of ice cream for each twin, handing it off to them with a flourish as they finished their sandwiches.   

 

Thus fed, Wyatt and Lucy led the girls back to their old bedroom pulling out their overnight things when Agent Christopher came in behind them whispering to the two of them, “Mason is here, he’s just pulled the tarp off the LifeBoat and is running diagnostics now.”

 

Exchanging looks, Wyatt and Lucy wrapped their daughters up in a hug as Agent Christopher began playing soldier with them again.  While the girls were distracted by their game, Lucy and Wyatt slipped out and soon found themselves standing before the gleaming LifeBoat, large and looming before them like a long-lost friend.    

 

Holding each other’s hands, they stood in front of the machine that had both blessed and cursed their lives.  Wyatt turned slightly to Lucy as they gazed at it together, “For what it’s worth,” he said with a slight smirk, “I knew I was going to be working that night.”

 

Lucy gaped at him in confusion, “What?”

 

“That first mission…when you asked me if I had been drinking.” He nodded at the Lifeboat, “I knew I was getting called into Mason…it was why I was in San Francisco.” He shrugged, “But I didn’t take that drink until we were getting changed for the mission.”

 

“Where on Earth did you find alcohol at Mason Industries?” Lucy asked with a gape.

 

Wyatt shrugged, “Conference room.  Mason had a couple of those little bottles…I just swiped one on my way out.” 

 

“So, you weren’t such a tough guy, after all?” Lucy asked with a quirked brow.

 

“No ma’am…I was just as nervous as you were.”  Wyatt admitted with a smile.

 

Lucy swallowed hard as she nodded, “And now?”

 

Wyatt sighed as he squeezed her hand in his, “Now…I’m more terrified of not getting in this thing.” He nodded his head at her as he offered her a soft smile, “I’d risk just about anything to save what we have.”

 

Lucy smiled back at him, “Me too.”

 

“The twins are in their pajamas and are brushing their teeth.” Agent Christopher announced as she made her way towards the Lifeboat.

 

“They are so excited about this sleepover.” Lucy said with a grateful smile.  “When we told them mommy and daddy used to live here, they didn’t believe us.”

 

“That’s because like most government funded housing it’s utterly uninhabitable and always was.” came Mason’s voice from the other side of the time machine.  He made his way towards the little group, greeting them with a hug and shake of the hand. 

 

“Says the man under federal contract, right?” Wyatt kidded him as he slapped him on the back. 

 

“Well, it turns out I enjoy saving the world more than I liked saving money.” Mason quipped back with a grin.  “How about you?  You ever miss saving the world?”

 

Wyatt and Lucy exchanged looks, “Sometimes” they admitted with a laugh reminiscing over their previous missions and close calls. 

 

“You ready to do it one more time?” Agent Christopher asked with a smile. 

 

Lucy nodded resolutely, looking to Wyatt for that extra bit of strength and support, “We have to, or all of this could disappear.”

 

“Well you can’t go without a pilot.” came Rufus’ voice from behind them. 

 

Lucy gasped and spun around as Rufus wrapped his arms around her in a giant hug.  Still stunned, she stood gaping at him as he moved onto Wyatt at which point she playfully slapped her husband’s arm, “You didn’t tell me he was coming.”

 

“Do you honestly think I would have let you two go alone?” Rufus asked her.  “We all started this together…we should finish it together.”

 

Lucy looked into the supportive faces of Wyatt and Rufus, both of them willing to risk everything just so she wouldn’t have to go it alone.  She was beyond grateful for her team, her family…but as she began climbing the metal staircase to the time machine, the awful weight of responsibility came crashing down and she once more felt compelled to remind them what it could cost, “Okay…but if anything goes wrong…”

 

“It won’t.” Wyatt assured her in a calm and steady voice, “We get in, we get out.”

 

“We got this, Lucy” Rufus agreed. 

 

Turning once more and entering the LifeBoat, Lucy took her usual seat across from Wyatt.  Taking a shuddering breath as the other two took their own seats, Lucy cast a concerned look out to the bunker beyond.  She was grateful the twins were too preoccupied with their pre-bedtime ritual to be present for their departure…she didn’t want them to see it anyway, but she couldn’t help feeling guilty for sneaking away like this…particularly when this could very well be the last time she saw them.  If something went wrong…

 

Mindlessly, Lucy gripped at the locket she wore around her neck, the locket that not only contained pictures of her daughters, but of her beloved sister.  Wyatt still as he buckled her harness, his eyes showing the same fears and concern, but his voice speaking with a grit and determination that made Lucy oh so grateful for him, “It’s going to be fine, Lucy.”  He nodded, “They’ll be there when we get back.”  He sighed as he sat back and began doing his own harness, “And if they aren’t, you better believe I’m going to do everything in my power to get them back.”

 

She nodded as she gasped out a few tears, letting out a watery chuckle as Wyatt’s hand moved from hers and onto her safety harness.  “Thank you, Wyatt.” she whispered. 

 

Wyatt gave her a bracing smile as he clicked the last of his buckles into place.  “No problem, ma’am.”   


	5. Chapter 5

As the Lifeboat disappeared from the silo, Agent Christopher felt the age-old pang of concern she always felt when the team would go on missions.  This time, however, her concern was heightened for the two precious girls whose musical laughs were currently bouncing down the hall of the bunker.  “Excuse me,” she said with a smile to Jiya and Mason, “there are two young ladies that I need to get into bed.”

 

Mason and Jiya chuckled and resumed their discussion of the science fair Riya Enterprises had just hosted as Denise tiptoed her way down the corridor.  Stilling outside of the bedroom door, peering in clandestinely, watching as the girls jumped up and down on the Army issue cots that had long since made up one large bed.  Clearing her throat loudly before she entered the room, she had to laugh inwardly at the sound of the girls scrambling to attention.  Pushing open the door, she offered the girls a serious gaze, though the hint of a smile still appeared on her face, “It’s well past lights out, troops…what seems to be the problem here?”

 

Lifting her hand in a tiny salute, Amy offered up, “We need a bedtime story, ma’am.”

 

“You are absolutely right!” Agent Christopher said in mock astonishment, “How could I have forgotten?” Pulling a book from one of their overnight bags, Agent Christopher settled herself down on a chair, only to find that Amy and Flynn were still both standing at attention at the foot of the bed.  “What’s wrong, girls?” she asked in concern.  

 

The twins traded glances, both of them looking a bit sheepish as Flynn piped up, “We were just wondering if we could go out there for our story,” she offered as she pointed towards the door, “there’s funny noises in here and…”

 

“You’re scared to be in here by yourselves?” Agent Christopher asked with raised eyebrows.   

 

“No!” Flynn protested.  “We’re not scared.”  She bit her lip, thinking as she muttered, “daddy said we’re supposed to be holding down the fort…”

 

“…and how can we do that if we’re all the way back here?” Amy finished. 

 

Agent Christopher bit back a laugh as she reached out for the twins.  “So, you are concerned about my safety is that it?”  The girls nodded against her embrace, “I see….well, that changes things doesn’t it?” She patted their arms as she got to her feet, “Alright, fall out soldiers…let’s make camp in the common room.”

 

“You mean it?” Flynn asked excitedly. 

 

“I don’t see why not.”  Agent Christopher said with a shrug.  “But you have to promise me, you’ll try to get some sleep.”

 

“Yes, ma’am!” the two girls squealed excitedly.

 

******************

 

Seeing Flynn, alive, yet broken had been a bit more emotionally jarring than Lucy had been prepared for.  To know she was essentially sending him on a suicide mission, to have to admit to him that he would never get his family back…as a mother, as a friend, her heart broke for him.  Yet, she knew that Flynn would be the one to make the ultimate choice….and that choice, whatever it was would determine whether or not her own family would be waiting when they made their way back to the present. 

 

Her head was pounding so hard her vision was blurring.  Wyatt had wrapped a steady arm around her as they quickly made their way back to the time machine, his admonitions for Rufus to “Get them the hell out of there.” barely audible to Lucy as a high-pitched ringing sounded in her ears.  She felt his hands wrap over hers and in a moment of clarity her eyes met his, deep concern evident all over his face.  She offered him a reassuring nod as the hatch door closed and the outer rings began to spin.

 

 The next moment…they were home. 

 

Closing her eyes briefly, Lucy laid her head back on the chair.  The pain in her head already beginning to subside now that she was no longer in 2014.  Wyatt observed her carefully, quickly undoing the straps of her harness before placing a gentle hand on her cheek, “You okay, Lucy?”

 

She reached up and grasped his hand, kissing his palm as she opened her eyes, “I guess we’ll find out in just a minute, won’t we?”  She looked to Rufus who swallowed hard and opened the hatch to the time machine.  Almost desperately, Lucy made her way to the open door, setting herself down on the rim so she could observe the scene in the bunker.  Jiya, Agent Christopher and Mason were at the bottom of the stairs, staring proudly back at them…but her attention was drawn to the two sleeping figures curled on the couch in the common room.  Pajama clad and nestled next to one another, they were every bit the Flynn and Amy they had left behind. 

 

With a relieved sigh, Lucy turned with a smile to Wyatt who looked about as overcome as she was by the sight of their sleeping daughters.  “We did it.” Rufus said proudly as he patted Lucy’s knee. 

 

“Yeah.” Lucy breathed out, her voice choked with emotion. 

 

Clambering out of the LifeBoat, Lucy hugged Agent Christopher, Jiya and Mason before turning her attention to the twins who were still fast asleep.  Brushing their hair away from their faces, Lucy pressed a kiss to each of their cheeks as Wyatt, smiling fondly, gently lifted Amy into his arms.  Lucy made to do the same with Flynn when she startled awake and smiled broadly, “Hi mommy” she yawned sleepily, “did you stop the bad guys?” 

 

“I think so.” Lucy said with a smile of her own. 

 

“Good job.” Flynn replied as she stretched languidly on the couch, rubbing her eyes when suddenly she stopped with a gasp and leapt off the sofa, “Uncle Rufus!” she squealed, waking up Amy in the process.   

 

Amy, still wrapped in Wyatt’s arms, threw her arms around Wyatt’s neck in a sweet hug before demanding to be let down to follow her sister’s example. 

 

Rufus, who had been chatting with Mason and Jiya turned at the girls’ greeting and immediately crouched down, arms open ready to wrap the twins in a hug.  “Flamy!” he cried as the nearly tackled him to the ground.  “Where did you two come from?”

 

“Mommy’s belly!” Flynn joked as Rufus roared with laughter.   

 

“Way to Flynn it up, Flynn.” Rufus chuckled as he wiped his eyes.  “I needed that laugh just about now.”

 

“Uncle Rufus, we told daddy the milkshake joke you told us.” Amy squeaked through her giggles.

“Oh yeah?” Rufus asked as he glanced at a chuckling Wyatt, “and did your daddy say it was the funniest joke ever?  Funnier than anything he could come up with?”

 

“Well, he said it was funny…but he tried to tell us a funnier one.” Amy admitted with a shrug. 

 

“Uh-huh…and it wasn’t, was it?” Rufus urged as he poked Amy in the belly. 

 

“Nope!” Flynn said as she shook her head, “It wasn’t as funny as yours…it was about a cow that cowlapses.”

 

Rufus shook his head as he looked at the former Delta Force soldier with a mixture of disappointment and pity, “Really, Wyatt?  Word play?  Nah…you got be a little more creative if you want to compete with me.”

 

“Maybe I was just letting you win this round.” Wyatt said with a shrug.  “you think I was going to use my best material to win over some lame cow joke?”

 

“Lame cow…oh…I’ve got a good one for you.” Rufus said as he gave a spirited nod towards Wyatt, “What do you call a cow with no legs?”  At Flynn and Amy’s blank expressions, Rufus announced, “Ground beef.”

 

Lucy giggled, but Flynn and Amy looked back at Rufus in confusion…which made Wyatt smirk, “Tough break, _Uncle Rufus_.  Looks like you’re not as funny as you think you are.”

 

“Oh yeah?”  Rufus bristled competitively, “let’s see what you’ve got Delta Force.”

 

Crouching down, Wyatt motioned the girls over to him.  With a devilish grin he began, “Knock knock.”

 

Lucy pursed her lips together, biting back a laugh.  She knew that Amy and Flynn were suckers for a good knock knock joke and while Rufus knew a lot about the twins, that particular detail was deemed classified by one Wyatt Logan.  Rufus could never know.  Wyatt never used them in Rufus’ presence, so the fact that he was pulling one out now, convinced Lucy that Wyatt was determined to win this round...no matter the cost. 

 

Flynn and Amy clapped their hands excitedly as they squealed in unison, “Who’s there?”

 

“Cows go.” Wyatt answered promptly. 

 

“Cows go who?” Flynn and Amy asked together. 

 

Rufus, already seeing the punchline, threw his hands up in exasperation as Wyatt leaned forward and whispered, “No, cows go moo.”

 

Screams of laughter followed as Wyatt sat back casting a smug look towards Rufus. 

 

“Oooo I have a cow joke!” Jiya exclaimed.  “Why do cows have hooves instead of feet?”

 

“Why?” Flynn and Amy gasped out in between giggles. 

 

“Because they lactose.” Jiya deadpanned to a room that had grown uncomfortably silent. 

 

Rufus rubbed his neck and muttered to Jiya out of the side of his mouth, “Look babe, I know you’re trying to help and all, but you should probably leave the joke telling to the professionals.  You’re kind of cramping my rep, here.”

 

“Oh really?” Jiya accused as she pinched him in the arm, “Ground beef?  They’re four, Rufus.”

 

“It’s not my fault they don’t know hamburger comes from cows…seems like a parenting failure to me.”

 

“Hamburger comes from cows??” Amy gasped in horror.  “Mommy is that true?”

 

Lucy shot a death glare towards an apologetic Rufus and shook her head as she tried to smooth away Amy’s concerns, “No sweetheart, um…hamburger comes from the grocery store…everybody knows that.”

 

“And cows.” Rufus muttered under his breath.

 

“Anyway,” Lucy said with an admonishing glare towards Rufus, “It’s way past your bedtime, young ladies.”

 

“That’s right.” Wyatt agreed.  “Do you two want to go home or do you want to camp out here for the night?”

 

“Can we stay here?” Flynn begged.  “Please…we want to play soldier for just a little bit longer.”

 

Wyatt caught Lucy’s eye and smiled, “Sure thing, munchkin.  Why don’t you and Amy head on back there and mommy and daddy will be in there in just a minute.”

 

“Can Uncle Rufus and Aunt Jiya spend the night too?” Amy pleaded. 

 

“Ahhh…” Rufus gaped as he looked at Jiya, “I didn’t bring my jammies.”

 

“Like that was ever a problem before.” Jiya muttered before saying excitedly to the twins, “Of course, we’ll have a great big slumber party!  And tomorrow we’ll go out for breakfast…how does that sound?”

 

Flynn and Amy cheered all the way to the bedroom as Agent Christopher and Mason approached the team, “How did it go?  Any problems?” Agent Christopher asked in a whisper. 

 

“Lucy…” Wyatt began but Lucy, herself, cut him off.  “I’m fine, Wyatt.  It was just a headache.”

 

“You could barely walk, Lucy.  I’d hardly call that fine.” he argued in concern.

 

“But the minute we touched back down in the present, that pain went away.” Lucy countered.  “It’s fine.  I feel fine.”

 

“I’d feel a hell of a lot better if you’d let the medical team check you out.” Wyatt breathed out.

 

“I would too.” Agent Christopher said with a nod.  “I’ll call them right now…”

 

 A few hours later, medically cleared, Lucy and Wyatt slipped into their old bedroom, both of their breaths hitching at the sight of their daughters huddled together on one side of the large bed.  “Would you have ever believed that last day in the bunker that this would be our future?” Lucy whispered as Wyatt snaked his arms around Lucy’s waist and rested his head on her shoulder. 

 

Pressing a kiss to her cheek, Wyatt murmured, “Lucy, I don’t even know what I did to deserve you…but them?  I could have never dreamed I’d ever be this lucky.”  Slipping under the covers behind the twins, Lucy wrapped her arms around her daughters as Wyatt wrapped his arm around her.  “You did a good thing today, Lucy.” he muttered quietly.

 

Tears sprang to Lucy’s eyes as she remembered Flynn’s desperate question, _What about my family?_  “It seems unfair,” she whispered in a quavering voice, “that we should have all of this and Flynn…Flynn never got back the family he lost.”

 

“You never got back Amy.” Wyatt reminded her.

 

Lucy squeezed her girls a little tighter as she sighed, “Maybe not my sister, but I see her every day in these two.  She would’ve been a great aunt.”  Lucy let out a shuddering breath as she murmured, “But Wyatt, I don’t regret my decision." Anxiously, she asked in a voice of real emotion, "Do you think that makes me heartless?”

 

“No.” Wyatt said firmly, “You saw what it did to Flynn…and in the end, he chose to do this.  Nobody forced him.  I gotta believe he got that absolution he was looking for…I gotta believe that wherever he is now, he’s with his wife and daughter.”

 

“I hope so.” Lucy said as she held her family tighter, “I couldn’t imagine living in a world without all of you.”

 

“Feeling’s mutual, babydoll.” Wyatt murmured against her neck as they lay there together, huddled as a family in that rusty hell hole of a bunker, “If I had to do it all over again, I would choose this life with you, with them,” he added with a nod towards the twins, “time after time.”

 

“No regrets?” Lucy asked as she quirked her brow. 

 

“None.” Wyatt assured.  “Whatever Rittenhouse had in store for the future, the one thing they didn’t bet on was you and me.”  Wyatt yawned violently, “Preston and Logan…”

 

“Kicking ass and saving the world.” Lucy acknowledged with a sleepy smile as they both drifted off, peaceful and content, knowing that now, with this last mission behind them, there truly was nothing ahead of them but the open road.    

 


End file.
